memeorandum: Obama impersonator pulled offstage after making racial, gay jokes at GOP gathering (Washington Post)

4:05 AM ET, June 19, 2011

Top Items:

Obama impersonator pulled offstage after making racial, gay jokes at GOP gathering — NEW ORLEANS — A President Obama impersonator was pulled off the stage Saturday at the Republican Leadership Conference, after telling a string of racially themed jokes about the president.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Hotline On Call, americanthinker.com, iOwnTheWorld.com, Balloon Juice, Booman Tribune, The Reaction, Oliver Willis and American Power

Jsimoncnn / CNN:

Perry wows at Republican conference amid 2012 buzz — New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) - As speculation mounts about his presidential ambitions, Texas Gov. Rick Perry delivered a rousing and unapologetic defense of conservative principles on Saturday at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans.

Discussion: msnbc.com, Hotline On Call, Washington Post, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and The Note

Erik Wasson / The Hill:

‘Obama’ pushes the limit at GOP leadership conference — An Obama impersonator addressed the Republican Leadership Conference and made some edgy jokes. — A fake President Obama addressed the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans Saturday, courtesy of impersonator Reggie Brown.

Discussion: Don Surber

Jeff Zeleny / New York Times:

Texas Leader Calls for Rightward Tilt — NEW ORLEANS — Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, the latest Republican to muse openly about exploring a Republican presidential candidacy, drew booming applause here on Saturday for not only assailing President Obama but also lecturing some members of his own party …

Jonathan Martin / The Politico:
Ron Paul wins RLC straw poll

Discussion: CNN and GOP 12

Brian Montopoli / CBS News:
Ron Paul wins Republican Leadership Conf. straw poll; Jon Huntsman second

Discussion: Hot Air, Top of the Ticket, Outside the Beltway and Gawker

Jamie Klatell / Ballot Box: Ron Paul wins Republican Leadership Conference straw poll by wide margin

Signorile / The Gist:

Breaking: GLAAD President Resigns — Jarrett Barrios, the president of GLAAD, has just sent the board of GLAAD his resignation letter. A statement will be going out from GLAAD tonight, but GLAAD confirmed in an email that Barrios did resign. This comes following the report earlier today …

Discussion: Lez Get Real and Washington Blade

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Gay group chief under pressure over AT&T issues — The president of the group Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is under pressure to resign from within his own organization after aligning his group with AT&T's regulatory issues. — POLITICO's Eliza Krigman reported recently …

Discussion: Poliglot and Towleroad News #gay

Ben Sisario / New York Times:

Clarence Clemons, Springsteen's Soulful Sideman, Dies at 69 — Clarence Clemons, the saxophonist in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, whose jovial onstage manner, soul-rooted style and brotherly relationship with Mr. Springsteen made him one of rock's most beloved sidemen, died Saturday at a hospital in Palm Beach, Fla. He was 69.

Discussion: Power Line, Rolling Stone, Gothamist, Washington Post, PopEater, Scared Monkeys and The Democratic Daily

John / Power Line:

Even the Russians Have Figured It Out — Russia's President, Dmitri Medvedev, addressed the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum yesterday. He pledged a new course for Russia: … Medvedev's political future is very much in doubt, as is Russia's ability to realize his free-enterprise vision.

Discussion: That Mr. G Guy's Blog

Weasel Meister / Weasel Zippers:

Hold Your Nose: Islamic Holy Warriors at Gitmo Embody the Essence of Their Religion — Disgusting and fitting. … HT: Ace

Brian Bolduc / Wall Street Journal:

Don't Know Much About History — The popular historian David McCullough says textbooks have become ‘so politically correct as to be comic.’ Meanwhile, the likes of Thomas Edison get little attention. — Boston — 'We're raising young people who are, by and large, historically illiterate …

Discussion: The Jawa Report, Althouse, National Review and FrumForum

Mitt Romney / National Review:

My Pro-Life Pledge — I am pro-life and believe that abortion should be limited to only instances of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. — I support the reversal of Roe v. Wade, because it is bad law and bad medicine. Roe was a misguided ruling that was a result of a small group …

Discussion: TBogg, The Volokh Conspiracy, The Note, The Daily Caller, CNN, Datechguy's Blog, The Politico and The Daily Dish

Olivia Katrandjian / ABCNEWS:

Golf Summit: President Obama and Speaker Boehner Tee Off — President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner may be at odds over taxes, the debt ceiling and the conflict in Libya, but for today at least, they are putting aside their differences for a round of golf.

Discussion: Sky Dancing, CNN, Political Punch and The 1600 Report

Julie Pace / WTOP.com:
Obama and Boehner balance putting and policy

Discussion: CNN, FrumForum and Michelle Malkin

Helene Cooper / The Caucus: A Good Day to Play Golf and Talk Politics

New York Times:

Looking Back, Gates Says He's Grown Wary of ‘Wars of Choice’ — WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, as he prepared to depart the government for the second time, said in an interview on Friday that the human costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had made him far more wary …

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's … and FrumForum